NEW YORK — Disappointed.
That was the word Andy Murray used repeatedly to describe how he felt about his exit from the U.S. Open.
After all, Murray arrived at Flushing Meadows ranked No. 2, owner of a tour-leading 37 wins on hard courts this season — and quite sure he was prepared to win his first Grand Slam title a year after reaching the U.S. Open final. Instead, he heads home after the fourth round, a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 loser to No. 16 Marin Cilic of Croatia on Tuesday.
“I just struggled today. I played poorly,” Murray said. “I could have been better in pretty much every part of the game, whether it was mental or serve, forehand, backhand, returns.”
And now Murray will slide to No. 3 or No. 4 in the rankings, behind Rafael Nadal, who will move up by virtue of beating No. 13 Gael Monfils 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
Nadal, trying to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Open, will meet No. 11 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in the semifinals. Gonzalez eliminated No. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-4.
“First thing that I have to try is play my tennis,” Gonzalez said. “If I don’t play my tennis, I mean, I have no chance.”
Murray had his chances. Ahead 5-4, he wasted two set points. By the second set, Murray was grimacing while flexing his left wrist, which he acknowledged afterward had been bothering him for about a week. By the third, Murray was moping about the court.
“Regardless of my wrist, I lost the match,” Murray said. “I returned poorly. He served well — and that was really the difference.”
On the women’s side of the draw, former No. 1 Kim Clijsters beat 18th-seeded Li Na of China 6-2, 6-4 to set up a meeting against defending champion Serena Williams — a 6-4, 6-3 victor over No. 10 Flavia Pennetta of Italy.
Looking ahead to facing Clijsters, Williams said: “She’s such a great person and I, like, only wish the best for her. But not in the next match.”
The 27-year-old American and 26-year-old Belgian both have 12-match winning streaks at the U.S. Open. Clijsters won the first seven en route to the 2005 title, the last time she played in New York, and has five this year.
Still unranked because she had played in only two tournaments before the U.S. Open, Clijsters is the first unseeded player to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows since Elena Dementieva in 2000.
“I’m surprised to be sitting here talking to you right now,” said Clijsters, who has beaten Williams once in eight matches.
Clijsters left the game in 2007, married American basketball player Brian Lynch later that year, then gave birth to daughter Jada in February 2008. Since returning to competition in August, Clijsters is 10-2.
Two more wins, and she’ll be the first mother to win a Grand Slam tournament since Evonne Goolagong Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980.
“I still have an immense respect for all the Grand Slams and the history that’s happened in each and every one of them,” Clijsters said, “but it’s easier now to push that aside when you’re out there and just focus on your game and not be too worried or too impressed by everything that’s happening around you.”
At a glance
A brief look at Tuesday’s play:
Weather: Mostly cloudy and cool. High of 74.
Attendance: Day: 26,131. Night: 22,408. Total: 48,539.
Men’s winners: Fourth round: No. 3 Rafael Nadal, No. 6 Juan Martin del Potro, No. 11 Fernando Gonzalez and No. 16 Marin Cilic
Men’s losers: No. 2 Andy Murray, No. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, No. 13 Gael Monfils and No. 24 Juan Carlos Ferrero
Women’s winners: Quarterfinals: No. 2 Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters
Women’s losers: No. 10 Flavia Pennetta and No. 18 Li Na
Top players on court today: Men: No. 1 Roger Federer vs. No. 12 Robin Soderling, No. 4 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 10 Fernando Verdasco. Women: No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki vs. Melanie Oudin, Yanina Wickmayer vs. Kateryna Bondarenko.
Stat of the day: Kim Clijsters is the first unseeded women’s semifinalist since Elena Dementieva in 2000.
TV (MDT): ESPN2, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; 5-9 p.m.; Tennis Channel, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
